1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to local area networks and, in particular, to various features of a National Semiconductor Corporation System Configurable Ethernet Network Interface Controller (SCENIC.TM.) that provides for easy implementation of CSMA/CD Local Area Networks with a flexible, generic bus interface.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The SCENIC device described below is an improvement of National Semiconductor Corporation's DP83932B Systems-Oriented Network Interface Controller (SONIC.TM.).
The features of the SONIC device are described in detail in the following documents published in National Semiconductor Corporation's Local Area Network (LAN) Databook, 1992 Edition:
(1) DP83932B System-Oriented Network Interface Controller Preliminary Data Sheet, pp. 1-288 to 1383 of the LAN Databook; PA1 (2) National Semiconductor Application Note 745, Wesley Lee, DP83932 SONIC.TM. Bus Operations Guide, pp. 1-384 to 1-395 of the LAN Databook; and PA1 (3) National Semiconductor Application Note 746, Wesley Lee and Mike Lui, Software Driver Programmer's Guide for the DP83932 SONIC.TM., pp. 1-396 to 1-432 of the LAN Databook.
The three above-referenced publications are hereby incorporated by reference to provide additional background information regarding the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,606, issued on Sep. 14, 1993, to Edwin Z. DeSouza and commonly-assigned herewith to National Semiconductor Corporation, discloses a media access controller having a content addressable memory (CAM) architecture whereby address filtering is provided for filtering physical, group and broadcast addresses on an Ethernet network.
The '606 DeSouza patent is hereby incorporated by reference to provide additional background information regarding the present invention.